25 pounds

So this week I achieved something I really didn't think was possible back in January. I have lost 25 pound as of this week this year. So I have heard a lot in the last couple of months that no one thought I was heavy to begin with. Well.... back in January I had my annual exam and the doctor informed me, "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you that you are in the obese range for you height and weight." Needless to say I was absolutely mortified. So if I am really honest with myself, I realize, yes I kept weight on from Ariel's pregnancy, kept weight on from Michaela's pregnancy and gosh dang it I did have twins, and not little one's either. Two, six and half pounds babies, so who am I kidding I'm never going to be the same after them. So, at first I was kinda mad:( Then I get honest with myself and realize, no I am not exercising like I should, I am eating whatever, whenever I want, and for sure I am eating way too many of those little bite size candy bars, you know the ones that you say to yourself, "one of these isn't too bad" but by the end of the day you have eaten ten. So I started really slow. Lets see if I can loose 10 pounds. The jeans should fit a little better, not quite so snug, and I might feel a little better about myself. I started by getting rid of the those little candy bars, and quit eating off of the kids plates (you know when you take the last couple of french fries, or the last bite of hamburger). So it took me until about May to do that. I started to get a little confidence and join a gym. I hired a trainer and that's when the fun began. So as I sit here I have 25 pounds gone and 3 sizes down. It feels really good. So nothing crazy, no pills or drinks, some exercise but not really over doing it one one hour session with the trainer, one 30 min session of cardio and then I am supposed to redue my workout from earlier in the week on my own. Not bad! I didn't do any crazy diet. I pretty much have stuck to the motto of "everything within moderation." So no I am not starving myself! So anyone finding themselves in my position, start small, don't do anything crazy and do stuff that you can live with. One can only live without their favorite things for so long and it would suck to work hard and lose it, only to gain it back..... So lets see how I do:)

Old Navy SALE

Ever wonder what $400 looks like in clothes? Well, here you have it! My sister, Tania, and I found out about a sale that Old Navy was having this last Friday and we decided to go. The thing was that the first 50 people in line would get 50% off of their entire order and for the rest of the day everyone got 30% off and yes that is even sale prices! So we were gunning for the first 50. They opened up at 9:30 so we were thinking get there by 9 and we would be OK. Oh so not the fact. :( I don't think I have ever seen anything like it except for at Christmas time. We were about 10 people away from the first 50 so we only got 30%. SO we bring our bags in and unload them.... this really doesn't look like that much does it? I forgot that my niece had a pile that should have been included in this picture too and the kids have been taking out a few things here and there so I guess maybe it really is pretty good. Oh and did I mention we actually stood in line for an hour and a half to get out. UNBELIEVABLE! It turned out to be a lot of fun with Tania though and the twins were little angels so I can't complain too much. Lots of cute clothes though for the kids and myself. Who doesn't like new clothes right? I'm finally down to single digits for my jeans so I am having a heck of a good time filling that closet:)

Baptism invites

I can't believe she will be turning 8. Where does the time go??

Oh my goodness we have a soccer player

She is so darn cute out there I can't hardly stand it! After begging for a year Michaela is finally playing soccer and loving it. Joe, his dad and one of Michaela's friend"s dads are coaching and I think they are having as much fun as the girls. She is so athletic and is picking everything up so fast it makes it all the more fun. They have named the team "The Blue Angels" (their colors are royal blue and black). I will keep you updated as the year progresses.

Coach Daddy and Coach Pappa

It was really fun to watch Joe and his dad coaching the 8 year old girls soccer team.

Number One Fan

Ariel is loving soccer season. I can already see she is going to be the teams number one fan!

Michaela's first swim meet!

I know these are in reverse order! I just realized I never filled everyone in on Michaela's swimming season. Well- we got her to the swim meets and she swam. Then once we got her started we couldn't keep her away. I forget what the overall tally was but she did get her first first place in backstroke and her second first place in breaststroke, not in the same meet. She also achieved a whole slew of second, third, fourths along the way as well. She is back to swimming one night a week with school back in session and we have put meets on hold for the moment because she will be playing soccer on Saturdays for the fall. She is a natural!

I can't wait to go to Ballet

Bailey is my dancer. She had signed up for a hip hop class this last summer and absolutely loved it! She wanted to take it all school year but they didn't have enough little kiddos signed up so they invited her to try the older kids class. WELLLLLL, at five she just isn't ready to keep up even though she sure would have tried. So as a compromise she is now taking a ballet combo class and has decided that she loves that just as much. She is quite the cutie in my book so I snapped a few shots.

10 Things I have learned from Ariel

1. Things don't always turn out the way you want them to. It's ok- different doesn't have to be bad.

2. Be Flexible.

3. A smile can go a long way.

4. Perfection can come in an imperfect package.

5. Patience.

6. Don't worry about things too far in the future. It ruins your present.

7. Be Kind!

8. Ask questions- most people would rather be asked instead of stared at.

9. Help one another.

10. Oh yeah did I already say patience??

For a kid that can't walk, talk or do a darn thing for herself she is amazing! Most people just see a small glimpse of her. She understands everything going on around her and has an opinion. She has the funniest sense of humor. Even when you don't think anyone is watching you, she is. She was watching my aunt at a party stealing candy off of a table away from my mother. My mom couldn't figure out were the candy was going and when my aunt caught sight of Ariel watching, Ariel just busted up laughing. They still laugh about it together every time they see each other. That is just one little story but there are tons of them. She can be naughty and oh so opinionated when it comes to what she has decided she wants. She has her daddy wrapped firmly around little finger. And even with all she doesn't have ability wise she is one of the happiest kids I have ever been around. What an absolute blessing to have in our home.

Mom I want to marry a farmer

So Michaela says to me this week, "mom I think boys are going to like me when I get older". (why she is thinking of this at 7 I don't know) So as any good mom would say, I say, "of course K what is not to like?" Her reply is, "well boys like me now." I say back to her, "just friend like, right?" She says, "oh ya mom." So she waits a minute and says to me, "all I need to do is find a farmer cuz you know I want to marry a farmer right?" Before I could really get my head wrapped around that and come up with a reply she says to me, "Do you think Uncle Clint could help me with that?" I had to call Clint and fill him in and we all got a really good laugh. Where in the world do they come up with this stuff? I don't want her thinking about getting married yet!

And we started with two

After 15 years of marriage Joe and I renewed our wedding vows on the beach (Coronado Island) on June 18, 2009 on exactly our 16th wedding anniversary. So it seems sort of cheesy but after having Ariel and everything that we have gone through together with her, deciding to add to our family with Michaela and then having the twins Bailey and Easton, Joe and I have had a lot on our plates over the years. It's not hard to lose yourself when you're being pulled in so many direction by things that are just as important as "us" as a couple. We decided to check in with one another this spring and summer and remind us about us. It was a beautiful ceremony in a beautiful setting. Joe's family was with us so it was nice to share the moment. AND an added bonus was the beautiful pictures that follow.

Favorite pictures from the beach photos

Here are a few of the many pictures the photographer snapped at the beach. Yes, Ariel's wheelchair looks really funny with those big fat wheels on it but it is the only way she can enjoy the beach too. Her regular wheels don't go through beach sand so without them she would be limited to the boardwalk wherever we went. That would be really sad because she loves being with her family and we love having her with us.

Family Photo Opp

We wanted to share our latest family pictures. We had a lot of fun on the beach this year. We used this opportunity to get an updated family picture. The kids are growing so fast it seems like right before our eyes.

The Tree

So there was this really great climbing tree in San Diego at the hotel this year. The kids couldn't stay off of it. If they weren't in the water this is where they could be found. I couldn't help but snap a few shots for a keepsake.

Bergen Boys with their toes in the sand.

So Joe and his brother and Dad posed for me this year. I have to say one of the first! Our annual trip to San Diego was way great this year. The guys got to take in a Padre's game and hang out with us by the bay. Joe even caught a foul ball at the game. You would think it was gold. When they got back from the game Joe showed it to all of us but then promptly returned it to the van so that it was in a "safe" spot. I was able to get a bunch of great shots but I think these are my favorite. More San Diego pictures to follow later.

Michaela starts swim team!

Michaela started swim team earlier this year and is swimming 3 days a week through the summer (during the school year it is only one night a week). She is the youngest on the team and doing absolutely fabulous. Her favorite stroke is breaststroke (a girl after her mother's heart) and her least favorite is butterfly (that's a tough one anyways). I am going to have to say that of all her strokes her backstroke is probably her most technically sound. She is doing so well. One funny quirk with her is that she doesn't like the swim meets. She loves the practices and gets herself and us up to take her but she doesn't like to actually race. She says there are too many people looking at her. I think her coach has her just about talked into swimming one race this weekend. We will see:)

Ariel is on to 6th grade!

Ariel had a great year this year. She is finally learning how to use her augmentative communication device (talk box for short). On a resent field trip she used her switch all by herself to answer a question of how many pets she had. I actually started crying. To finally see her do it on her own with out any one helping was overwhelming. My greatest wish for her is that she can learn to communicate with everyone NOT just her family. She is so bright, funny, stubborn and adorable it is hard not to let her get away with things just because she is "handicapped". Well on to the 6th grade more great things to come for sure.

Michaela's final interview for 1st grade

Michaela what will you remember most about 1st grade? "My friends Lucus, Kenny, Isaiah, Natalie and Anna, and how Mr. Hansen sat with me to teach me how to read."

What was your favorite subject? "Art, Math and Reading"

What did you not like about 1st grade? "PE and Music" Why? "PE because you have to run and sit out if you wear flip flops and music because I hate the warm ups."

What was one thing you thought was way cool about your classroom with Mr. Mike? "We had bugs in our classroom. Earthworms and crickets."

Boy want to learn something about your child sit down with them one on one and ask them questions. She is becoming such a little lady. Sweet, kind, shy, reserved and beautiful sum up my Michaela. She had a fantastic year and loved her teacher Mr. Mike. We are looking forward to 2nd grade but as she told me today I wish things could stay the same. Don't we all Michaela!